Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis eBook

The midshipmen fell in by classes in front of Bancroft
Hall. After muster the classes marched away by
sections.

Each section contained an average of ten men, under
command of one of their number, who was known as the
section leader.

It was the section leader’s duty to march his
section to the proper recitation room in Academic
Hall, to preserve discipline while marching, and to
report his section to the instructor.

At the beginning of the academic year the fourth class
men were divided into sections in alphabetical order.
Afterwards the sections would be reorganized according
to order of merit.

So, at the outset, Darrin and Dalzell were in the
same section, and Dave, as it happened, had been appointed
section leader.

When the command rang out Dave marched away with his
section, feeling somewhat proud that he had attained
even to so small a degree of command.

It was an interesting sight to see hundreds of midshipmen,
split up into so many sections, marching across the
grounds in so many different directions, for not all
the sections were headed for Academic Hall.

Dave knew the number of the room to which his section
was bound, and knew also the location of the room.

Sections march, in step, at a brisk gait, the clicking
of so many heels against the pavements making a rhythmic,
inspiring sound.

Some of the midshipmen in Dave’s section however,
felt low-spirited that morning. They had been
looking through their text-books, and felt a dread
that they would not be able to keep up the stiff pace
of learning long enough to get past the semi-annual
examinations in the coming January.

Dave and Dan, however, both felt in good spirits.
They had looked through the first lessons in algebra,
and felt that they would not have much trouble at
the outset, anyway. They believed that they
had been well grounded back in their High School days.

On their way Darrin’s section was passed by
three officers of the Navy. Midshipmen must
always salute officers of the Navy. While marching
in sections, however, the only midshipman who salutes
is the section leader.

Three times Dave’s hand came smartly up to the
visor of his cap in salute, while the other men in
his section looked straight ahead.